s it going to hurt?" Lara asked.

"It could." Jack stroked her hair. "Some vampires, like the Malcontents, enjoy causing their victims pain and terror. But if a vampire takes the time and effort, he can make it very pleasurable."

"I vote for the second option."

His mouth curled up. "Are you sure? I was still undecided, myself."

She swatted his arm.

With a grin, he pushed her down and leaned over her.

She gave him a wry look. "You want to be on top again?"

"It's easier for biting." He frowned, considering. "I guess I could bite you from behind."

"Or you could hang upside down from the canopy."

He chuckled. "I knew I shouldn't have told you that story."

Lara gave him a weak smile. She was joking around in a sad attempt to delay the inevitable. Surely it wouldn't hurt too badly. Jack had said he could make it pleasurable. "Are you going to... feed from me?"

"Just a little. I don't want to leave you weak."

"Okay." She turned her head to expose her neck and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm ready."

She waited. Any minute now. Sharp fangs jabbing into her neck. She curled her hands into fists. And she waited.

She opened her eyes and glanced his way.

He was propped up on an elbow, smiling as he leisurely inspected her body.

"What are you doing?"

"Admiring the view." He touched a spot close to her left hip bone. "You have a little mole here." He leaned over and kissed it.

"I thought you were going to bite me."

"I am." He skimmed his fingers across her belly, then circled her navel. "I'll have to use Vamp power to make you conceive pain as pleasure and heighten your senses."

"Oh."

He dragged his fingers up to her breasts and circled them. "You'll need to open your mind to me."

"Okay."

He looked at her, and she suddenly felt herself caught in the intensity of his gaze. A wave of cold air swept around her. Her skin chilled. The gold flecks in his eyes expanded, turning the entire iris gold and glittering.

She was mesmerized, unable to move or think.

I am with you. His words whispered in her head.

Heat surged through her, and her skin turned pink, flushed with rushing blood. Her heart pounded. It felt like her blood was racing, racing toward him, on fire with the need for him to take it. It was bizarre. She actually wanted him to bite her.

"Jack." She reached for him. "This is so strange."

He brushed a thumb over her nipple, and she cried out as a jolt sizzled through her. All her nerve endings were extra sensitive and burning for his touch.

She wrapped a leg around him. "Jack, I need you."

"It's the Vamp power." He stroked her cheek. "It's just an illusion. It will pass."

"I don't want it to pass." She gritted her teeth. "I want you. Now."

"I'm only going to leave my mark. It will be over soon. I promised I would never use my powers to trick you into sex."

"You're released from that promise." She held his face in her hands. "And this isn't sex. It's love. I love you. I love everything about you, even this-this strange thing you're doing to me."

His eyes turned red. "Then hang on, cara mia." He grabbed her hips and thrust deep inside her.

She shattered with a powerful orgasm. He arched back, and his fangs jutted out. He fell on her, and she shivered with pleasure as his fangs gently scraped her neck.

Her blood was throbbing in her veins, desperate to be released. He licked her neck, and she felt the same sensation magnified between her legs. He eased in and out of her vagina. She was swirling, drowning in pleasure and barely felt the pop on her neck as his fangs slid into her. He continued to rock in and out as he sucked on her neck.

I love you, his voice echoed in her mind.

"I love you, too."

He pulled away from her neck. She had a glimpse of blood on his lips before he licked it off.

"You're still bleeding a little. I can stop it." He leaned over to nuzzle her neck.

Every lick of his tongue caused a shudder of pleasure. Tension coiled inside her, begging for release. He scooped her up into his arms and sat back, settling her on his thighs.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself against him. He seized her hips, supporting her and pulling her to him with each powerful thrust.

The room spun around Lara, and she held on tight. He slid a hand between them and tweaked her clitoris. A strangled moan escaped as another orgasm ripped through her. He pumped into her, his eyes flaming red hot. Then, with a long groan, he tumbled onto the bed with her. They held each other, still breathing heavily.

"Oh Jack." She stretched, still lingering in a lovely, sensual daze. "You're so good. You're going to kill me someday."

He flinched, then rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

She winced. What a stupid thing to say. She hadn't meant it literally. She hadn't even been thinking properly.

A chill stole over her. If she wanted to stay with Jack forever, and she did, then he would have to turn her into a vampire. He would have to kill her someday.

She sat up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

The look he gave her was so full of pain, it wrenched her heart. "You know I never want to hurt you. If there was any other way..." He grimaced. "If you want to change your mind about me, I won't stop you. I would never force you."

"Shh." She placed her fingers over his beautiful mouth. "I'm not going to leave you." She lay down beside him and nestled her face in the crook of his neck.

He held her tight. She relaxed against him and grew drowsy. She drifted off to sleep.

"Lara," he said softly, "it's getting close to sunrise. I need you to wake up."

She blinked awake. She was still in bed with him, and at some point during the night, he'd pulled the covers up over her. And he'd dimmed the light. "I didn't mean to sleep."

He smiled. "It's all right. I enjoyed holding you."

"I guess you don't sleep?"

He shook his head. "I need to go and finalize the plans for tonight."

"I understand."

"Try to keep the girls safe. See if you can get them to leave the compound. The werewolves will be waiting, in human form, about half a mile down the road with a few SUVs. They'll take the girls to town. We'll come later to alter their memories."

Lara sat up, frowning. She had serious doubts she could convince the girls to cross the gate.

He touched her shoulder. "I hate to leave you here."

"I'll be fine. The girls will be amazed that I'm still here and not getting punished in Hades. They'll think I served you really well."

"Oh, you did." He chuckled when she made a face. "I'll see you tonight."

Fear gripped her as she envisioned him fighting armed guards and Apollo. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "Please be careful."

"I will." He kissed her brow. "You be careful, too."

They shared one last kiss, then he vanished.

That evening, in the dark cellar of Chief's hunting cabin, Jack jolted awake. He heard the quick intake of air as Robby and Phineas also woke from their death-sleep. The sun had just set. This was it. The night Apollo would pay for his crimes against humanity.

As usual, within seconds of waking from his death-sleep, Jack's thoughts turned to Lara. Was she all right? How had she fared during the day?

The basement door creaked open and light spilled down the staircase.

"Are you guys up yet?" Phil asked.

"Yes, we're coming." With vampire speed, Jack inserted his knife into the sheath strapped to his calf. He'd put on some jeans and a T-shirt when he'd teleported back to the cabin before dawn. He'd been so worried about leaving Lara behind, that he hadn't realized he was teleporting naked. He'd taken some ribbing for that.

He slid a longer dagger into the sheath underneath his left arm, then put on his leather jacket. Phineas was similarly armed, but Robby had opted for his Scottish weapons-a knife beneath one knee sock and a claymore in the long sheath on his back.

The three Vamps rushed up the stairs. Phil handed them bottles of blood from the ice cooler. With no electricity at the hunting cabin, the Vamps were drinking their meals cold. Connor had teleported to the cabin the night before, delivering bottles of blood, swords, and handcuffs.

Jack gulped down his bottle of blood, then stuffed some handcuffs into a jacket pocket. These were for the mortal guards. If at all possible, they hoped to keep the guards alive.

"You know Connor came here twice last night," Phineas said as he jammed handcuffs into his pockets. "He kept wondering why you weren't here. He thought you might have gotten lost in the woods."

"I told him ye were at the compound gathering information," Robby said, his green eyes twinkling. "All night long."

"Hmm." Phineas finished up his bottle of blood. "Jack must have studied every inch of that compound."

Jack ignored them and selected a sword from the stash Connor had brought.

"Let's see." Phineas rummaged through the swords. "I need a really strong blade. One like Jack has, that'll last all night long."

"Enough," Jack growled. "This isn't a picnic we're going on. So get serious, Phineas."

The black Vamp shrugged. "How hard can it be? We've got three Vamps, and Phil, and the element of surprise."

"We thought it would be easy to locate Apollo's compound, but it took over a month," Jack said. "And then we thought it would be easy to capture the bastard, but he got away. We can't afford to take this lightly."

"I got you, bro." Phineas selected a sword. "Just keeping it positive, dude. We're gonna kick ass."

"Good. Then let's go." Jack glanced at Phil. He was barefoot, with a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt on. "Aren't you going to arm yourself?"

"I'm keeping it simple so I can shift."

Jack exchanged a confused look with the other Vamps, then turned back to Phil. "There's no full moon tonight. Only an Alpha wolf can-oh, I see."

"Well, I don't see," Phineas grumbled. "If you're an Alpha, why didn't you shift the other night with Chief?"

"I have my reasons," Phil muttered. "Can we get going now?"

"That's why you insisted Chief and his people park half a mile down the road," Jack said. "You don't want them to know what you can do."

"Oh, Big Bad Wolf's got a secret," Phineas said.

"And we'll keep it for him," Robby said. "Let's go."

The three Vamps had practiced teleporting close to the compound the night before, so the location was embedded in their psychic memory. Phil grabbed on to Robby to hitch a ride, and within seconds, they arrived about fifty feet from the gate.

In the distance, Jack spotted Lara and the other women, strolling toward the kitchen. Their white gowns gleamed in the moonlight.

Phil pulled off his T-shirt as he stepped behind a tree. After a few seconds, he returned as a huge wolf.

"Let's do it." Jack headed to the right with Robby, while Phineas and Phil turned left to circle the compound.

There were usually two guards marching around the perimeter of the compound each night. It was Phil and Phineas's job to capture them. Once they were handcuffed, Phineas would teleport them to the jail at Chief's office. One of the Chief's grown sons would be there to watch them. Later, when the attack was over, the Vamps would alter the guards' memories and set them free.

Jack and Robby weaved through the forest till they neared the dormitory. They jumped the wall, then unsheathed their swords before entering the, dorm. It was empty. Good. Lara had managed to get all the women out.

They hurried to the temple next. Phil loped toward them and met them at the base of the stairs.

"You caught the two guards?" Jack whispered.

Phil dipped his head and growled softly.

Phineas would be gone for a few minutes while he transported the guards to the jail at Wolf Ridge.

Jack ascended the steps to the temple. "There should be three mortal guards and one mortal woman inside."

Robby cracked the door and peeked inside. "Coast is clear." He widened the door, and Phil slipped inside.

They crossed the foyer to the next set of double doors. Jack scanned the temple as he eased inside. The room was lit by the small fires in the bronze braziers located between the columns. At the other end on the dais, a guard was lounging on the center throne and munching on chips. He obviously didn't expect any trouble. He was entirely focused on his bag of potato chips. His sword rested on the throne next to him.

Jack moved silently to the row of columns on the right. Robby eased to the left. When Phil followed him, his claws made a small clicking noise on the marble floor. Robby looked back at him, then at the guard.

The guard sat up. His eyes widened at the sight of a wolf and an armed, kilted Scotsman. His bag of chips tumbled to the floor. He grabbed his sword, jumped off the dais, and ran to the gong to sound the alarm.

"Nay!" Robby charged at him.

Jack and Phil were close behind. When the guard saw how fast they were zooming toward him, he threw his sword at the gong. It clanged just as Robby tackled the guard.

The impact from the sword knocked the gong free and it rolled past a lit brazier before it went into a rotating spiral that created a whooshing, metallic sound that echoed across the large room. Phil pounced on it, and it stopped with one loud clash.

Even though Robby had the guard pinned to the floor, the mortal was still struggling and yelling for help.

"Be quiet," Robby muttered and clonked the mortal on the head with the handle of his sword.

Jack handed him a pair of handcuffs. "We'll teleport him later."

Robby cuffed the unconscious guard and dragged him behind a column.

Meanwhile, another guard came running from the back hallway. He rounded the thrones, shouting and brandishing his sword. Jack engaged him, and within a few seconds, he sent the guard's sword flying through the air. It fell with a clamor in front of the dais.

The guard stumbled back, his eyes wide with fear.

Jack held his sword to the side. "I don't want to kill you. You only have to surrender."

"Under attack. No hope," the guard whispered. He stiffened suddenly, and his eyes turned glassy. "There can be no survivors." He reached inside his toga and pulled out a knife. He turned the knife, pointing it at his own chest.

"No!" Jack dropped his sword and teleported behind the guard. He seized the man's wrist just as he attempted to stab himself.

Jack wrenched the knife from the guard's hand and knocked him on the head with the handle. When the guard slumped forward, Jack dropped the knife and caught him.

There can be no survivors. Jack muttered a curse. He tossed the guard over his shoulder and strode to where Robby had stashed the first guard.

"Did you hear what he said?" Jack dropped the guard on the floor.

"Aye, no survivors." Robby cuffed the guard.

"Phil, make sure Lara's all right," Jack ordered. "And the other women, too. They're in the kitchen."

Phil raced to the double doors. He reared up on his hind legs to push a door open, then dashed through.

"You can find the other mortal woman in the back," Jack whispered to Robby. "Behind a red door."

Robby nodded, then a voice rang out.

It was Apollo.

Jack pulled Robby behind a column. "I'll take care of him. You get the girl," he whispered.

"What the hell is going on?" Apollo strode around the thrones. His golden toga was all askew as if he'd thrown it on in a hurry. He stopped when he saw the sword on the floor and the bag of spilled chips on the dais.

"Hello, Apollo," Jack greeted him in Czech as he walked over to where he'd dropped his sword. He'd discovered the night before that Apollo was actually Anton, from Prague.

"Henrik, what are you doing here?" Apollo answered in Czech. "You've got the stupid guards thinking we're under attack."

Jack needed to say the right things to make Apollo stay, or the bastard would simply teleport away. He picked up his sword. "You are under attack. I've taken four of your guards."

Apollo stiffened, then his face flushed red with anger. "You scum-sucking pig! I welcomed you here. I even gave you a maiden to fuck. And you repay my generosity with betrayal? Why?"

"I want to keep the girl." Jack glanced quickly to the right. Robby was still hidden behind the column, waiting for his chance to run to the back rooms.

Apollo scoffed. "Well, shit, you idiot! Why didn't you just say so? I've got eight women to spare. If you want one of the bitches, just take her." He gave Jack a disgusted look. "But you'll need to hurry, 'cause my head guard just left to kill them all."

A chill crept across Jack's skin. Lara had to be all right. Phil was there. And Phineas should be back by now.

Apollo leaned over to pick up the sword in front of the dais. "You've screwed up my whole operation, you bastard. I should kill you."

"You're welcome to try." Jack retreated, hoping to draw Apollo away from the thrones and make it easier for Robby to sneak to the back rooms.

"You asshole." Apollo stalked toward him. "I'll have to start over and completely restock."

"No." Jack switched to English. "You're not starting over. You're finished."

Apollo's eyes narrowed. "Your accent is different tonight. Who are you?"

"I am Giacomo di Venezia."

Apollo's face turned red, and he visibly shook with rage. "You're one of the butchers from the DVN massacre!"

"Yes, I killed six of your friends that night. And I saw Jedrek Janow die. He was so pathetic and weak that a mortal killed him."

"No!" Apollo ran at him, swinging his sword.

From the corner of his eye, Jack saw Robby zoom toward the back rooms.

Jack jumped to the side and parried Apollo's attack. He spared one last prayer that Lara was safe, then focused all his attention on staying alive.