"Lissa, you're not giving my agents a good impression, here," Tony was still grinning.
"Really? You're not giving me a good impression, either. What do you suggest we do about that?"
"Can she do that? Slam us into a wall?"
"Maybe, but she won't. Not unless you turn into terrorists or something."
"Speaking of terrorists," I said. "I need to eat and then I need to tell you what I found." I pulled a pillow off the bed and hugged it against my chest so I could stand up. No way did I want those guys to see my ni**les showing through the thin top of my PJs.
"What is she going to eat?" Arthur looked at Tony, an expression of alarm on his face.
"Relax, she drinks bagged blood," Tony huffed, waving off Agent Jefferson's fear.
"You mean you don't go around draining humans?" Dusty ventured the question to me instead of through Tony.
"Are you crazy?" I scoffed. "I can't even finish a pint of blood. How am I going to drain a human?"
"For real?" Dusty was getting into the whole idea, now. "Do you sleep in a coffin?"
That made me snort. "Now that's just dumb," I countered. "I'm claustrophobic. A coffin would be the worst place for me to sleep."
Tony's cell phone rang, interrupting my interrogation; he glanced at the caller ID before answering.
"Agent White? I'm glad to hear your voice," Tony said. "Come on up. Bring Townsend with you." Tony closed his phone. "We're getting a little company," he announced.
Uh-oh. The vamp agents had arrived. I had no idea what Tony planned but I wasn't sure I was looking forward to it. There wasn't any time to eat or get dressed; both agents arrived shortly and there I was, still in my PJs. I needed to make phone calls, too; I'm sure Merrill, Franklin and Gavin all wanted to hear from me. "Gentlemen, these are Agents Ken White and Chris Townsend," Tony introduced the two vampires to the others. "They've been with the FBI Special Paranormal Division for three years," Tony was smiling. "I've selected you three, here," he indicated Bill, Dusty and Arthur, "to work as special liaisons with their department."
"Paranormal Division?" Bill wasn't sure he liked that idea, whatever it was.
"Yes. You can refuse the promotion if you want, Agent Jennings. But hear us out before you make up your mind."
"We're vampires, just like Lissa," Agent White nodded in my direction. Well, maybe not just like me. They were male and I'm sure they'd eaten already. "There are werewolves, too but they're on assignment right now. We're looking to recruit others; the Division is highly successful and we have more work than we can handle." He grinned at the three humans who were now staring at him.
"We're not in danger?" Arthur asked.
"No more than you normally are," Agent Townsend said. "The vamps and the wolves police their own; that's why you haven't seen anything of us before. We work hard to fit into human society."
"But, uh, aren't there bad ones?" Dusty wanted to know.
"Just as there are bad humans, yes. There are those among us who hunt those rogues down and eliminate them."
"Have you ever met any of those guys—the rogue hunters?" Dusty was curious, I could tell.
"I hear tell that Lissa might be engaged to one of them," Tony had an evil glint in his eye.
"I heard that, too," Townsend turned to look at me.
"What's he like?" Dusty asked.
"Old and grumpy," I snipped.
"How old and grumpy?" Arthur was asking questions, now.
"Really old and really grumpy," I snapped. "Look, if you people don't need me for anything in the next fifteen minutes, I'd like to eat and get dressed." I stalked through the connecting door and slammed it behind me. I think it might have cracked. I didn't care.
* * *
"Merrill, I don't remember how I got out," I said. "I woke up at the hotel and I haven't had a chance to talk to Tony, yet. The vampire I killed before the building blew was another of Saxom's get. I know it. He had two humans with him—both young men—and they were setting charges when I found them inside the air ducts."
"Lissa, do you have any injuries?"
"Just a few bumps and bruises and I feel tired. Other than that, everything seems to be fine."
"Drink some extra blood later when you can get it down. It'll help, sweetheart. We were imagining the worst, here."
"If I'd been conscious, I might have been imagining that, too. Can you call Franklin and tell him? I'm short of time or I'd do it myself. Has he talked to you about Greg?"
"No, why?"
"Greg had some tests run and they're waiting for results. Frank wasn't doing very well when I talked to him early Saturday morning. I think both of them are really worried and are afraid to say anything until they know for sure."
"Damn," Merrill muttered. "If it's not one thing, it's another. I'll try to find a way to convince him to tell me so he doesn't think you let it slip."
"Thanks, Merrill."
"You should call Gavin, now."
"I know."
"Lissa, he'll be waiting to hear from you."
"I know that too. But you're not the one who gets to listen to him curse and rant. Goodbye, Merrill." I ended the call.
I dialed Gavin's number next, even though Tony was knocking on the door. Gavin answered after the first ring. "Lissa?"
"Hi, honey."
"Lissa, I was terrified you were in that building that exploded."
"Honey, I was in that building, when it exploded." The silence was long and very painful.
"Lissa, are you in one piece?"
"Yes. Will I not be when you see me again?" I was scared of what his answer might be.
"Lissa, I want to turn you over my knee and then kiss you breathless."
"Honey, the one, followed by the other, doesn't sound very tempting to me."
"Lissa, I will not harm you."
"I'll take what I can get," I said. There were different kinds of harm. Some people think yelling does no harm. It does.
"Lissa, tell me that you love me."
"Honey, I love you," I said. And I meant it, most of the time.
"I love you, cara. Very much. Please stay out of trouble."
"Honey, I always try to stay out of trouble but it finds me anyway, most of the time." Tony was now banging on the connecting door. "Sweetie, I have to go, all right?"