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  There was a scuffle sound coming from Akron’s shadowed spot. Cassandra blocked it as she was everything else. It took a few moments before he spoke again. She used the time for composure. Strength.

  “Oh. Darn. Look there. You took too long. Your target appears to have wearied of appealing to you. He’s turned to another woman.”

  “There’ll be another,” she replied.

  “Yes, there will. And another. And another. And is any of that going to help?”

  She tossed her head. Adjusted her veil. Shifted the cell phone just slightly against the little signet ring, stifled the instant reaction. Wrapped it tightly to her.

  “He phoned me, Cassie. That’s really why I’m here.”

  “Who?”

  “Jacob Walsh. Your mate.”

  She didn’t answer. Something deep within her reacted. Pained. Burned.

  “I’m embarrassed to admit it. He actually found us. Him, and that wizard crew of his. They got access around our security, using some embedded signal that’s in our online site. And then he called me. Me. On my rotating private line that nobody knows. Shocked the hell out of just about everyone, myself included.”

  “Oh?”

  She kept her tone even, her inflection noncommittal. Giving nothing away. She should’ve known it was wasted.

  “He was in worse shape than you are, Cassandra. Much worse. Couldn’t eat. Sleep. Wore the finish off his tile from pacing it. And he blamed me. Figures. He talks a lot, that mate of yours. Fast. Says I didn’t give him enough time. I altered every perception of physics and didn’t give him enough time to absorb the shock, gather data, and then make an informed decision. And back then he didn’t know the real truth in the universe – love is all that matters.”

  She couldn’t answer. Her voice choked off. Hearing about Jacob was bringing his image so close, she could almost feel him! And that made the mass in her belly swell somehow, and that put the grief too close to the surface. She should have bolted the moment Akron spoke up.

  “You didn’t tell…him where to f-f-find me, did you?” Oh no. She’d stuttered. That wasn’t possible to hide.

  “Of course not. I could barely get a word in edgewise, even if I’d wanted to. Doesn’t take a fool to see why you didn’t tell him about us. Not only is he very persuasive, but he believes continual speech is a great negotiation tactic to get a yes answer. I suppose if you’re as smart as he is, it probably is.”

  She smiled slightly. The view blurred worse. She didn’t have much time. Any longer and she was going to be prostrate with emotion that only her coffin witnessed.

  “That fellow appears to have an inside track on world domination, and he doesn’t care about any of it. Not anymore. He only cares about one thing. One. Hmm. I wonder what that could possibly be?”

  She didn’t answer. Her entire form was stiff. Still. Rapt.

  “Oh, very well. I’ll just tell you. I did what he asked. No. I shouldn’t alter the facts so injudiciously. I did what that man begged, beseeched, and even offered his entire portfolio to pay me for.”

  “What?” The word was croaked. Unintelligible.

  “I changed him. You should probably turn around now. I don’t think I can keep him back much longer. Jake! Go gently. She’s more fragile than even she knows. Small. Incredibly precious.”

  Cassandra spun, locked eyes with the most amazing sight in the world as Jake sped toward her, and a moment later she was in his arms. Up against his chest. Hugged. Enwrapped. Her legs encircled his hips. Perfectly fitted. At one with him again. If she really did have a heart, it was singing. Flying. Soaring.

  “Oh Baby! Oh, Love. Forgive me. Oh, Cassie. I love you, Babe. I’m here. I’ll always be here. Forever. You and me.”

  “Jacob?”

  “In the flesh. Or…whatever.”

  There was a sinfully sexy vibe coming off him now. Altering the elements and enervating the air. Cassandra didn’t know how she’d missed sensing it earlier. He was thinner, but it actually added rather than subtracted - sculpting the muscles she could feel. It also narrowed his face, but all she really saw were his olive green eyes glowing. And then his fangs as he grinned.

  “When are you going to call me Jake?” he asked.

  His face blurred with tears.

  “Oh no. No tears, Babe. I’m here. We’re together. Yes? Nothing’s coming between us again. You hear? Nothing. I mean, if I can get over this undead thing, I’m pretty sure anything else is a given. Yes?”

  “Oh…Jake.” The name was sniffed, sobbed, and laughed.

  He gave a whoop and spun with her. “You said it! You called me Jake. I heard you. Loud and—”

  He would’ve said more. She didn’t let him. She stopped him with a kiss. The moan that surged through them came from both throats. And then Akron’s deep voice drifted across the alley to her.

  “Ah. Love. And mating. Must be nice. Well…hello beautiful. May I join you? Buy you a drink? Escort you somewhere? You from here? Great city. What’s your name, gorgeous? Mine’s Akron. Akron Profit. No. No drink for me. I just stopped in for a quick bite...”

  -o0o-

  Jackie is an Alaskan author who crafts full-length Scot Historical novels for Kensington, while moonlighting with her paranormal series: Vampire Assassin league, available in ebook. She loves hearing from fans, who can contact her at www.jackieivie.com

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT