He'd been a starving, nineteen-year-old student, desperately trying to pay his way through college, when Connor had hired him. He would have put up with anything to keep a job that paid well, gave him free room and board, and allowed him to finish school. And he had put up with a lot. All from Vanda. For five long years she'd tortured him with her "harmless flirtation."
He'd tried his best to ignore it. The Vamps were his friends - more like his family, actually, since his father had disowned him at the age of eighteen. There was no going back. And over time, Phil had come to realize how valuable he was to the Vamps and their struggle against the Malcontents. He was protecting not just his Vamp friends, but the entire world.
He swiped his ID card outside the door to the security office, then pressed his palm against the hand sensor. These were a newly added security measures, reminding him how much the Malcontent problem had worsened over the past few years. The indicator light turned green as the door unlocked, and he entered the office.
Howard Barr, head of daytime security, was seated behind the desk, watching the wall of monitors connected to surveillance cameras. Because of the Coven Meeting, Howard was working late. Seated in front of the desk was Phineas McKinney, a young black Vamp from the Bronx. He'd been making a round earlier, when Phil had first arrived, so Phil had missed him.
"What it is, wolf-bro?" Phineas stood and raised a hand for a high five. "Lay a furry paw on me."
Phil smacked his hand. "How's it going, Dr. Phang?"
"Can't complain," Phineas said.
"Want a doughnut?" Howard pushed the box across the desk.
"No thanks." Phil shook his head, smiling. Howard Barr always had a box of doughnuts on hand, and he never seemed to gain weight. It must have something to do with having the metabolism of a bear.
Phineas settled back in his chair. "So are you stationed here now?"
"Yep." Phil was glad to be back in New York, where he could be more useful in the war against the Malcontents. He'd come earlier in the summer to help another MacKay S&I employee, Jack, rescue his fiancée, who had been kidnapped by Malcontents.
For the last year Phil's official assignment had been in Texas, where he'd served on the security team protecting Coven Master and famous fashion designer, Jean-Luc Echarpe. "I had to go back to Jean-Luc's place for a few days to take care of a problem."
"What kind of problem?" Phineas asked. "Did you have fleas, man? They make collars for that, you know."
Howard chuckled.
Phil gave them both a bland look. "It wasn't fleas. It was Billy."
"Billy?" Howard selected a bear claw from the doughnut box. "Isn't he Jean-Luc's new day guard?"
"Yes. He was the local sheriff," Phil explained, "but he retired, so he could work for MacKay S & I. I had a little trouble training him. He was sorta angry with me."
Phineas snorted. "Well, you did bite him, you know."
"He shot me first," Phil muttered.
Phineas grinned. "You looked at him funny."
"So what's the problem with Billy?" Howard munched on his bear claw. "He doesn't like being a werewolf?"
"He was shocked at first," Phil began.
"I'm sure he was." Howard stuffed the last of the bear claw in his mouth. "It can be a tough adjustment for those who become shifters as adults. It's a lot easier for us who were born into were families."
Phineas snickered. "So you had a Mama Bear and Papa Bear? Was your porridge too hot or too cold?"
"It was just right." Howard smiled as he licked the sugar off his fingertips. "So what happened with Billy?"
"After I took him out on his first hunt, he seemed okay," Phil said. "He was excited about having extra strength, superior senses, and a much longer life span. Everything was fine till about two weeks ago when Billy's girlfriend left him and he decided his life was ruined."
"Hey, I remember his girlfriend. She was hot!" Phineas sat up. "Do you have her number? She might need a little comforting from the Love Doctor, if you know what I mean."
Phil snorted. "If she rejected a werewolf, she'd probably reject a Vamp, too. Personally, I don't think she would have stayed with Billy even if he didn't go furry with the full moon. She was used to being a celebrity fashion model in New York and Paris. Life in a small town in Texas would have never suited her. I told Billy that, but he was convinced his life was over."
"What did you do?" Howard asked.
Phil had tried reasoning with Billy, but the new werewolf had sunk into a depression that logic couldn't reach. "I took him to New Mexico. I have an old friend on a Navajo reservation. Very old. And wise. He'd helped me before, so I figured he could help Billy. And he did."
"What did he help you with?" Phineas asked.
"He helped me undertake a...spiritual journey about six months ago. Hard to explain."
Phineas's brown eyes widened. "You got high, didn't you? What were you smokin', man?"
Phil crossed his arms. "I'd rather not discuss it."
Phineas snorted. "Ate some of those mushrooms, huh? Did you dream you were a giant iguana?"
Howard grinned, then cast a curious look at Phil. "I think that's when he became an Alpha."
"Cool," Phineas whispered. "Are you still keeping that Alpha stuff a secret?"
"Yes." Phil took a deep breath. "So, where did Connor go?"
"Oh, that was smooth, bro. We would have never noticed you changing the subject." Phineas motioned toward the monitors. "Connor's making the rounds."
Phil scanned the monitors and noted a blur of movement through the trees west of the parking lot. Connor was moving at vampire speed. "He's fast."
"Like the Flash, man." Phineas cocked his head. "I think he's slowing down. He must have seen something."
"There." Howard pointed at another monitor. "Someone's just teleported onto the grounds."
All three guards tensed, ready to spring into action.
Phil relaxed. "It's Jack."
Phineas lounged back in his chair. "I guess he's just getting back from Venice."
Howard helped himself to another doughnut. "You two going to his engagement party on Friday?"
"I am." Phil watched the monitors. Connor had met up with Jack in the woods.
"Me, too," Phineas added. "Man, have you noticed how many of the guys are getting lucky? Roman, Angus, Jean-Luc, Ian, and now Jack - they're all hooking up with hot-looking babes."
Phil edged behind the desk to fill a cup of coffee from the pot Howard kept on a credenza. "I'm happy for them."
"So am I, but where the hell is my hot babe?" Phineas stood and planted his fists on his hips. "I'm the Love Doctor. The chicks should be climbing all over me."
Howard shoved a small canister toward Phil. "Sugar?"
Phil shook his head.
"Not for a long time, man." Phineas paced across the room. "It's been months since I had any sugar."
Howard offered Phil a canister of Coffee-mate.
Phil shook his head. "I like it black."
"I like 'em black, too." Phineas suddenly halted. "But I'm not prejudiced, you know. I have never failed to jump a woman's bones based on her color or religion. The Love Doctor never turns a lady away."
"That's real sporting of you, Phineas." Phil took a sip of coffee. He noticed on the monitor that Jack and Connor had reached the side entrance. Connor swiped his card, then activated the hand sensor.
Phineas's shoulders slumped. "I just don't get it."
"Get what?" Howard poured himself a cup of coffee, then dumped in a huge amount of sugar.
"All the married Vamps seem really happy." Phineas resumed his pacing. "With just one woman. When there are so many hot chicks in the world, how can you settle for just one?"
"She has to be really special." And of all the women Phil had met in his twenty-seven years, it was Vanda who came to his mind. She didn't wear the facade of indifferent superiority like most Vamp women. She was raw, passionate, and painfully honest. She was in your face. She'd intrigued him from the start.
"I think it's called love," Howard said.
Phil flinched. "I wouldn't call it that. Infatuation, maybe."
Howard gave him an incredulous look. "You don't think Jack loves Lara? Or Roman loves Shanna? Or - "
"Oh, yeah." Phil realized he'd lost the trail of the conversation. "That's definitely love. I-I was thinking about...someone else."
Howard eyed him curiously. "Like who?"
Phil was saved when the buzzer sounded at the door. Connor had activated the security measures outside, causing the door to unlock. Connor and Jack walked in.
Jack smiled and shook hands as he greeted everyone. "You're all coming to the engagement party, yes? I want Lara to feel welcomed in the Vamp world."
"We're coming," Howard said.
"Where is Lara?" Phil asked.
"At her apartment," Jack answered. "I teleported her there first, so she could get some sleep. She's worn-out from sightseeing all day in Venezia."
"I'm glad ye're back." Connor stood next to the desk and folded his arms across his chest. "Phil just arrived tonight, too, so I'd like to catch everyone up to date."
"Good." Jack perched on the far corner of the desk.
Howard sat behind the desk, while Phineas and Phil took the chairs in front. When everyone was focused on Connor, he began.
"The latest information we have indicates that Casimir has moved to North America. We have no idea where he's setting up his base of operations, but we do know that he liked to visit his friend Apollo, in Maine. We're assuming he doesna know that Apollo and Athena have been killed."
Phil drank some coffee. Earlier in July he had helped Jack rescue his fiancée, Lara, who was being held captive at Apollo's Malcontent compound in Maine. Jack had killed Apollo, while Phil had teamed up with Lara to kill Athena. "We left the compound empty. Most of the mortals had their memories erased and were sent back home."
"What happened to the girl who wanted to keep her memory?" Jack asked.
"She's at Shanna's school," Connor replied. "She's going to be a teacher there. Carlos is doing security. Now my point is, there's no one at the compound to tell Casimir no' to come anymore. So Angus figured there's a good chance that Casimir might return."
"Are we setting a trap?" Jack asked.
"Aye." Connor smiled. "Angus arrived there two weeks ago to do just that. He has a team of seven with him. That should be enough to capture Casimir."
Phil felt a twinge of envy. He would love a piece of that action. "What are our orders?"
"We're to stay here," Connor said. "Romatech is still a prime target. If Casimir decides to avenge the massacre at DVN, he knows he can always find a few enemies right here."
"We'll need to be extra careful the night of the engagement party," Jack said.
"Aye. We'll all be on duty that night. Any questions?" When no one spoke, Connor continued. "Good. With any luck, Casimir will be destroyed soon, and another vampire war will be avoided."
Jack glanced at the monitor that showed the coven meeting coming to an end. "I need to talk to Shanna about the party. See you all later." He rushed out the door.
"Phineas, will you make sure everyone attending the coven meeting leaves?" Connor asked. "We doona want anyone roaming about the facility."
"Gotcha." Phineas hurried out the door.
"Howard, see if Shanna and the children need a ride home," Connor said.
"Yes, sir." Howard lumbered out the door.
"Phil, ye're off for the rest of the night." Connor sat behind the desk and shuffled through some papers. "I'm glad ye're back, lad."
"Me, too." Phil finished his coffee, then returned the empty cup to the credenza. As a day guard, he was expected to sleep at night so he could be on duty during the daylight hours. He usually slept at Roman's townhouse in the Upper East Side. Phineas and Jack would show up there shortly before dawn to fall into their death-sleep.
"Good night, sir." Phil headed for the door.
"Good night. Oh, I was wondering..." Connor gave him a curious look. "I saw on a monitor earlier that you were talking to Vanda and then she teleported away."
Phil paused with his hand on the doorknob. "She was a little upset."
"Of course she was upset. Three of her former dancers were suing her for damages. Do ye know what Roman decided?"
"He insisted she take another session of anger management."
Connor snorted. "Like that will help. Vanda's been angry for as long as I've known her."
"How long is that?" Phil asked.
"Since Roman became Coven Master and inherited the harem in 1950."
"So she was already in the harem? She must have joined when the previous Coven Master was in power."
"Aye." Connor nodded. "Why are ye so interested?"
"I agreed to be her sponsor."
Connor's eyebrows rose. "Why would ye do that?"
Phil shrugged. "Someone had to do it."
Connor studied him a moment, then shifted his gaze to the monitors. "She left her car behind."