en minutes later, Roman teleported to Radinka's office at Romatech.

She looked up from her work. "There you are. You're running late. Angus and Jean-Luc are waiting in your office."

"Fine. Radinka, I need you to research something for me."

"Sure." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her desk. "What is it?"

"I think I should buy some new property."

"For another facility? That's a good idea, what with these Malcontents going around, blowing things up. By the way, I went ahead and ordered a transfer of synthetic blood from your Illinois plant."

"Thank you."

Radinka picked up a pen and legal pad. "So, where do you want the new plant?"

Frowning, Roman shifted his weight. "It's not a plant. I need a.. house. A big house."

Radinka's brows lifted, but she scribbled his request on the pad. "Any specifications, other than big?"

"It needs to be in a nice community, not too far from here. Picket fence, big yard, big dog."

She tapped the tip of the pen on the pad. "I don't believe dogs are normally included in the purchase of a house."

"I'm aware of that." He crossed his arms, irritated by the amusement on Radinka's face. "But I'll need to know where to buy a big dog, or maybe a puppy that will grow into a big dog."

"What kind of dog, may I ask?"

"A big one." He gritted his teeth. "Get me some pictures of different breeds. And different houses for sale. I won't be the one making the final selection."

"Ah." Radinka's smile widened. "Does this mean things are going well between you and Shanna?"

"No, they're not. I'll probably end up using the house as a rental property."

Radinka's smile withered. "Then perhaps this idea is premature. If you push her too fast, she might run."

She might run anyway, Roman thought with a groan. "More than anything she wants a normal life and a normal husband." With a grimace, he shrugged one shoulder. "I'm not exactly normal."

Radinka's mouth twitched. "I suppose not, but after fifteen years at Romatech, I'm not sure what normal is anymore."

"I can give her a normal house and a normal dog."

"You're trying to buy normalcy? She'll see through that."

"I'm hoping she'll see that I'm trying to make her dreams come true. I'll try to give her as normal a life as I can."

Radinka frowned, considering. "I think what any woman really wants is to be loved."

"She has that. I just told her that I love her."

"Wonderful!" Radinka's smile faded once again. "You don't look very happy."

"That could be because she ran from my room, crying."

"Oh dear. I'm not usually wrong about these things."

Roman sighed. He'd often wondered if Radinka was truly a psychic, why the hell didn't she foresee the attack on her son? Unless she'd also foreseen that Gregori would become a vampire.

Radinka tapped her pen on the legal pad. "I am certain she is the one for you."

"I'm convinced of that, too. I know she cares for me very deeply, or she wouldn't have��"

Radinka raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to finish the sentence.

He shifted his weight. "If you could look for a house, I'd appreciate it. I'm late for a meeting."

Radinka's mouth twitched once again. "She'll come around. It'll work out just fine." She swiveled her chair to face her computer. "I'll start house hunting right away."

"Thank you." He headed out the door.

"And you'll need to fire your harem!" Radinka called after him.

Roman winced. They were a big problem. He'd have to give them financial support until they could make it on their own.

He strode into his office. "Good evening, Angus, Jean-Luc."

Angus jumped to his feet. He was back to wearing his usual green and blue MacKay tartan. "Ye took yer time getting here, man. We have to deal with these bloody Malcontents right away."

Jean-Luc remained seated, but raised a hand in greeting. "Bonsoir, mon ami."

"Have you decided anything?" Roman skirted his desk and sat.

"The time for discussion is over." Angus paced across the room. "With the explosion last night, the Malcontents have declared war. My Highlanders are ready to strike. I say we do it tonight."

"I disagree," Jean-Luc cut in. "Petrovsky is, no doubt, prepared for such a retaliation. We would be attacking his house in Brooklyn, leaving us in the open while they can take cover. Why should we give those bastards the advantage?"

"My men are no' afraid," Angus growled.

"Neither am I." Jean-Luc's blue eyes flashed. "This is not about fear. It's about being practical. If you and your Highlanders weren't always so hotheaded, you wouldn't have lost so many battles in the past."

"I am not hotheaded!" Angus thundered.

Roman held up his hands. "Can we take this down a notch? The explosion last night didn't hurt anyone. And though I agree that Petrovsky must be dealt with, I am reluctant to engage in an all-out war in front of mortal witnesses."

"Exactement." Jean-Luc shifted in his chair. "I say we watch Petrovsky and his men, and when we find one or two of them alone, then we kill them."

Angus snorted. " 'Tis no' an honorable way for a warrior to behave."

Jean-Luc stood slowly. "If you're insinuating that I have no honor, I'll have to challenge you to a duel."

Roman groaned. Five hundred years of listening to these two argue was enough to strain the best of friendships. "Can we kill Petrovsky first, before you two kill each other?"

Angus and Jean-Luc laughed.

"Since we are in disagreement, as usual," Jean-Luc said as he sat back down, "you will cast the deciding vote."

Roman nodded. "I'm with Jean-Luc on this one. A full attack on a house in Brooklyn is going to draw too much attention. And it puts too many of the Highlanders at risk."

"We doona mind," Angus grumbled as he returned to his chair.

"I mind," Roman said. "I've known you all for a long time."

"We are also limited in number," Jean-Luc added. "I haven't transformed a vampire since the French Revolution. And you?"

"Not since Culloden," Angus answered. "But vampires like Petrovsky are still transforming men with evil hearts."

"And thus, making more evil vampires." Jean-Luc sighed. "For once, mon ami, we are en accord. Their numbers are growing while ours are not."

Angus nodded. "We need to make more vampires."

"Absolutely not!" Roman was alarmed by the turn of the conversation. "I will not condemn more souls to hell."

"I'll do it." Angus brushed back a strand of auburn hair. "I'm sure there are honorable soldiers dying somewhere in this world who would welcome the chance to continue fighting evil."

Roman leaned forward. "It's not the same as it was three hundred years ago. Modern armies keep up with their soldiers. Even the dead ones. They would notice if some went missing."

"Missing in action." Jean-Luc shrugged. "It happens. I'm with Angus on this one."

Roman rubbed his brow, dismayed at the thought of growing another vampire army. "Can we table this discussion for the time being? Let's take care of Petrovsky first."

Jean-Luc nodded. "Agreed."

"All right." Angus frowned. "Now, we need to talk about the problem with the CIA and their Stake-Out team. There's only five of them, so we shouldna have trouble handling them."

Roman winced. "I don't want them killed."

Angus snorted. "I doona mean that. We all know ye're involved with the leader's daughter."

Jean-Luc smiled. "Especially after last night."

Roman was surprised to feel his face heat up. Shanna's reaction seemed to be wearing off on him.

Angus cleared his throat. "I think the best way to deal with the Stake-Out team is to erase their memories of us.Timing would be important. We must do all five on the same night that we break into Langley to erase all their files."

"A clean sweep." Jean-Luc smiled. "I like it."

"I'm not sure it would work." Roman received surprised glances from his friends. "Shanna can resist mind control."

Angus's green eyes widened. "Ye canna be serious."

"I am. And what's more, I suspect she inherited her psychic abilities from her father. I also suspect the Stake-Out team is small because everyone on it possesses similar abilities."

"Merde," Jean-Luc whispered.

"Since they're working on an anti-vampire program," Roman added, "it would be obvious who would want to kill them."

"And it would give the American government more incentive to hunt us," Jean-Luc concluded.

"They're a bigger threat than I thought." Angus drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. "I have to think about this."

"Fine. Let's take a break for now." Roman stood and headed for the door. "I'll be in my lab if you need me." He hurried down the corridor, anxious to get some work done on his formula for staying awake during the day. He spotted a Highlander standing outside Laszlo's lab. Good. Laszlo was still getting the protection he needed.

Roman greeted the Scotsman as he entered the lab. Laszlo was sitting on a stool, gazing into a microscope. "Hi, Laszlo."

The small chemist started and nearly fell off the stool.

Roman rushed over and steadied him. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Laszlo adjusted his lab coat. All the buttons were missing. "I've been a bit nervous lately."

"I hear you're working on a cheap drink for the poor."

"Yes, sir." Laszlo bobbed his head, enthusiastically. "I'll have three formulas ready for the survey tomorrow night. I'm experimenting with different proportions of red blood cells to water. And I may try adding some flavors like lemon or vanilla."

"Vanilla blood? I'd like to taste that myself."

"Thank you, sir."

Roman perched on a neighboring stool. "I'd like to run an idea by you. See what you think."

"Of course. I'd be honored to help, if I can."

"It's theoretical at this point, but I was thinking about sperm. Live sperm."

Laszlo's eyes widened. "Our sperm is dead, sir."

"I know. But what if we took a sample of live human sperm, erased the genetic code, and planted someone else's DNA in it."

Laszlo's mouth fell open. He blinked several times. "Who would want their DNA inserted into live sperm?"

"I would."

"Oh. Then you.. you want to father children?"

Only with Shanna. "I want to know if it's possible."

The chemist nodded slowly. "I believe it would be."

"Good." Roman strode toward the door, then paused. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this conversation between us."

"Of course, sir." Laszlo plucked at the strings that had once held a button in place. "I won't say a word."

Roman hurried to his own lab to work on his daytime formula. He turned on his CD player. Gregorian chants filled the room, helping him to concentrate. He was so close.

Before he knew it, the chants stopped and Roman glanced at the time. Five-thirty. Time always flew by when he was involved in a new project. He called Connor and teleported to the kitchen. "How's everything?"

"Fine," Connor answered. "No sign of Petrovsky's men."

"And Shanna?"

"She's in her room. I left some diet cola and brownies by her door. They disappeared, so she must be all right."

"I see. Thank you." Roman headed for the staircase and stood in the center of the spiral. With a glance at the top landing, he teleported there in a second. He went in his office and stopped short when he saw the blood-red velvet chaise. What a fool he'd been to bite her. And a bigger fool to blurt out that he loved her.

He trudged toward the wet bar for his bedtime snack. Should he go to her room to check on her? Would she even speak to him? He unscrewed a bottle and popped it into the microwave. Maybe he should leave her alone. Her reaction to his confession of love had not been good. He'd give her time. And he wouldn't give up.

"Damn it to hell!" Ivan paced back and forth in his small office. He'd watched the news on DVN, and even though the explosion at Romatech was the top story, it hadn't accomplished much more than blowing up one lousy storeroom. Not a single Highlander had been blown to tiny bits or burned to a crisp. And as far as Ivan could tell, the city was not experiencing a sudden increase in hungry vampires on the prowl. After blowing up Draganesti's supply of fake blood, he had hoped to see a difference.

"Maybe the Vamps keep a supply of synthetic blood in their homes," Alek suggested. "They just haven't run out yet."

Galina curled up in one of the wingback chairs. "I agree. It's too soon to see a shortage. Besides, Draganesti probably has supplies we don't know about."

Ivan stopped pacing. "What do you mean?"

"He's supplying synthetic blood around the world. He could have plants we don't know about."

Alek nodded at her. "That would make sense."

Galina raised an eyebrow. "I'm not as stupid as you think."

"Enough." Ivan resumed his pacing. "I need a plan. I haven't hurt Draganesti enough."

"Why do you hate him so much?" Galina asked.

Ivan ignored the harem girl. He needed to get back into Romatech. But how? Tension grew in his neck, pinching the nerves.

"Draganesti is the one who built an army to defeat Casimir," Alek whispered to Galina.

"Oh. Thanks for telling me." She gave Alek a sly smile.

Alek, damn him, smiled back. With a growl, Ivan popped his neck. That got their attention. "Any sign of Highlanders?"

"No, sir," Alek answered, keeping his eyes off Galina. "If they're out there, they're staying hidden."

"I don't think they're attacking tonight." Ivan resumed his pacing. The door to his office opened and Katya entered. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Hunting." Katya licked her lips. "A girl has to eat. Besides, I heard some good news at one of the Vamp clubs."

"What? Our bomb killed one of those stupid Highlanders?"

"No." Katya smoothed back her long hair. "Actually, I heard the damage was minimal."

"Crap!" Ivan grabbed a glass paperweight off his desk and smashed it against the wall.

"Now, now. Throwing a tantrum won't help, will it?"

Ivan zoomed over to Katya and grasped her by the neck. "Neither will a show of disrespect, bitch."

Her eyes flashed. "I have good news if you care to hear it."

"Fine." Ivan released her. "Out with it."

She rubbed her neck while she gave Ivan an irritated look. "You want back into Romatech, don't you?"

"Of course. I said I would kill that little chemist, and I mean to keep my word. But the place is crawling with those stinking Highlanders now. We can't get in."

"I believe we can," Katya countered. "At least one of us can. Romatech's vice president of marketing has invited poor Vamps to the facility tomorrow night for a market survey."

"A what?" Ivan asked.

Katya shrugged. "Does it matter? One of us could go, disguised as one of the poor."

"Ah, excellent." Ivan patted her on the cheek. "Very good."

"I will go, sir," Alek announced.

Ivan shook his head. "They saw you at the ball. And they would recognize me, too. Maybe Vladimir?"

"I'll go," Galina offered.

Ivan snorted. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. They wouldn't be expecting a woman."

"True." Katya sat in the chair next to Galina. "I know a makeup artist at DVN. And we could use their wardrobe room."

"Great!" Galina smiled. "I could be a fat old Vamp tramp."

"A bag lady," Katya agreed. "No one would ever suspect you."

"Since when do either of you make decisions around here?" Ivan glared at them both. They lowered their heads, looking properly submissive. "How could Galina capture Laszlo Veszto? And if a Highlander is guarding him, how would she subdue him?"

"Nightshade," Katya whispered. "You have some, don't you?"

"Yes." Ivan rubbed at a knot of tension in his neck. "In my safe. How did you know about it?"

"I used some once. Not yours, of course. But you could let Galina use it."

"What is nightshade?" Galina asked.

"A poison for vampires," Katya explained. "You prick the vampire with a dart, and the poison goes into his bloodstream and paralyzes him. He's still conscious, but unable to move."

"Cool." Galina's eyes lit up. "I want to do it."

"All right. You can go." Ivan perched on the edge of his desk. "Once you locate Laszlo Veszto, call and teleport back here with the little bastard."

"Is that all you want me to do?" Galina asked quietly.

Ivan considered. "I want another explosion. A bigger one. One that will really hurt Draganesti."

"In that case," Katya suggested, "I think you should kill some of the people he most cares about."

Ivan nodded. "Those bloody Highlanders."

"Oh, he cares about them, I'm sure." Katya ran a finger over her red-painted lips. "But his real weakness is the mortals."

"Exactly," Galina agreed. "He has plenty of mortal employees. We could put a timer on the bomb so it will go off at sunrise."

"That's it!" Ivan jumped to his feet. "Draganesti's precious mortals will be dying, while he and his Highlanders are forced to return to their coffins. There won't be a bloody thing they can do about it. It's perfect! Tomorrow night, Galina will plant the C-4 in an area where the mortals gather."

"Their cafeteria, perhaps?" Galina exchanged a wry look with Katya.

"I know where," Ivan announced. "Their cafeteria."