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  Roi twisted the wheel and kept going, heading straight for the I-Ops headquarters as he slid his tongue out and over Missy’s cut. The taste of her sweet, powerful blood made his cock twitch and his body tighten. His saliva had a healing agent in it and it began to close Missy’s wound as he continued to taste her. Groaning, he closed his eyes a bit.

  “Mmm, Roi,” she whispered in his ear. “Watch where you’re going, honey, or we’ll be trying to heal wounds we don’t need right now.”

  Roi opened his eyes fast and nodded, doing his best to regain control of himself. “What are you?”

  A soft laugh escaped her. “I’m some sort of a mix of something. It’s not important right now. You need to contact your brother and tell him to do what I just did for the other men on your team. I thought Peren was telling us that Lukian proposed to get our permission. Now that I’m sure about you guys, I know she did it to ease us into the fact that they’re already married in the eyes of the supernatural community. If that’s true then they exchanged blood. Peren carries some of the same traits as me. I wasn’t aware she knew about them or I’d have told her my secrets long ago. Her blood will protect the others from sustaining lasting damage if they brought the weapon with them.”

  He nodded as he stared at her. “To answer your question, yes, I am an I-Op. But you can’t say anything to…”

  Missy stroked his cheek gently and leaned into him. “Roi, I’m a Shadow-Agent with PSI. Trust me, baby, I stand to lose a hell of a lot more than you in this. If you contact PSI to verify this, they will deny having any knowledge of who I am. You’ll need to go directly to the Director if you want an answer to any questions you have. To the rest of the organization, I don’t exist.”

  His stomach dropped. He and Lukian had heard a rumor about SA’s existing but thought it was nonsense. Hearing Melissa say she was one scared the hell out of him. She put her life on the line daily with things that wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

  “Is Eadan your handler?”

  “Yes and no. He dubs as my partner as well. I’m one of only a dozen that are disconnected from PSI. When I need help, Eadan is the only who can come.”

  Roi’s mouth dropped. “Tell me that you just crunch numbers in a back room without anyone knowing, Missy doll.”

  “The information that was delivered to your Colonel was collected by me and me alone.”

  He gasped. “Missy….”

  “Shhh, I choose to do this with my life. It was the only way I could think of to meet the I-Ops.”

  “To meet us? How did you even know we existed?”

  “Roi, if something happens to me tonight you have to call Eadan. Just hit zero on my cell phone. He’ll need to see to the rest of the information I retrieved and he’ll need to contact my father. Tell him that Missy-bean said she found Susie’s friend and he’ll know to give you the information.”

  “Susie’s friend?” What in the hell was she talking about? Nothing was going to happen to her. He would die before anyone harmed a hair on her head. “Melissa, this is nothing. This kind of stuff happens all the time.”

  “Outside what I’m presuming is I-Op Headquarters?”

  Roi wasn’t sure how to respond to her. She’d taken him by complete surprise. The very fact that she wasn’t screaming and demanding to get out of the car because he’d not only took the blood she offered him but allowed it to be one of the most erotic moments he’d ever had said a lot about her. “I think I might have misjudged you, sugar.”

  She moved in closer to him and pressed her soft lips against his cheek and sighed. “I think I might have misjudged you too. I’m sorry for…”

  Something dropped down onto the roof of his SUV. Roi turned the wheel again. Missy tucked the Ruger pistol from the glove box into the front of her jeans and put the knife back in her boot with a speed humans didn’t posses. She touched his thigh and squeezed it tight just as something smashed through the side of her window. In an instant, Missy was pulled from the seat next to him.

  Slamming on the brakes, Roi put the SUV into park and jumped out. Frantically, he scanned the area for Missy. He couldn’t latch onto her scent and that scared the hell out of him. Someone had figured out how to mask her scent and that meant if they could mask her scent then they could mask their own.

  * * * *

  The second Missy realized that her attacker was headed up instead of down she slammed her head backwards, catching him in the face. Instantly, he released her. The feeling of free falling ripped at her stomach. She spotted Roi and twisted in mid-air, doing a tight tuck as she fell. Dropping down next to him, she crouched fast to absorb the impact. “It’s me! Don’t attack.”

  Roi pulled her up fast and held her to him tight. “Are you okay? I couldn’t smell you anymore, Missy. I didn’t know which direction they took you.”

  Savoring the feel of his hard chest beneath her cheek, she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight. He froze. “They took me up. We’ve got both vamps and shifters here.”

  “How in the hell did you get away from him?” Roi asked, shock evident in his deep voice.

  “I asked him sweetly to put me down. He listened.”

  “Why don’t I believe that?”

  “Because you’re a very smart man.” Laughing softly, Missy tapped her forehead against his body and hugged him again. “Oh, wonderful, you’re growing on me at an alarming rate. If I get to the point that I agree we’re friends, shoot me. Just in case you’re wondering how close to that point I am, you might want to get the weapon you’ve been carrying in the back of your pants all night out.” Running her hand down his rippled torso, she came to a stop on his groin. Instantly, his cock hardened beneath the weight of her touch. “I’m dangerously close to wanting this weapon in particular to unload in me.”

  Why in the hell did I say that to him?

  Roi grabbed hold of her and lifted her into the air. “Now is not the time to tease me, Melissa.” His royal blue eyes narrowed on her as he brought her up to meet him face to face.

  Leaning forward, Missy stopped just shy of pressing her lips to his. “Geoffroi, I’m not teasing you. I can’t stop…” She almost said ‘wanting to touch you’ but thankfully held back. “I can’t stop thinking you’re a womanizing asshole.”

  His face fell and Missy couldn’t stop herself. Seeing him hurt because of her words, which weren’t entirely the truth, was too much. Pressing her mouth to his, she thrust her tongue in and found his. When he didn’t respond she pulled back slowly.

  She didn’t make it very far before Roi had her pulled back to him, seizing hold of her mouth with his and leading the kiss. His approach was a great deal more aggressive than hers had been. Roi’s tongue moved around her mouth, exploring every inch of her. Giving in to the need to be closer to him, Missy wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Groaning, Roi clutched her tight, making her feel safe, cared for. He ignited things in her body that she never dreamed would come to life. Every bit of her skin ached to be touched, caressed, licked by him.

  Roi jerked her off him and set her down fast. A bit dazed, Missy took a second to get her wits about her. She sensed it then, the pending danger. “Roi,” she whispered, needing to hear his voice.

  “Mmm, see you can’t get enough of me, can you?”

  Taking hold of the Ruger out of the front of her pants, Missy pointed it directly at Roi. His brow furrowed as he shook his head slightly.

  “Missy?”

  “Get down,” she said, each word clipped, concise.

  Recognition dawned on his face as he dropped down. Missy fired a shot off the second Roi was clear, hitting a shifter in the chest, sending him lurching backwards.

  Roi rose fast and jerked her behind him. Trusting his judgment, Missy went willingly, feeling something narrowly missing her back. The minute Roi erected claws on one hand and punched out hard, Missy knew something had been close to gutting her. Turning slowly, she found a pile of dust on the ground where she’d just b
een standing. “Thanks.”

  A low chuckle came from Roi. “Yeah, you too. I never thought I’d thank a woman for saving my ass. Spankin’ it, yeah. Saving it, no.”

  Rolling her eyes, Missy just laughed. “And you wonder why I think you’re full of yourself.”

  “Again, I’d rather fill you, baby.”

  There was no point in hiding how much she wanted him. “Promise?”

  Roi’s stubble covered jaw dropped. “I’m going to have to beg you not to tease me anymore. That comment almost got you tossed on the ground and fucked while we’re in the middle of all of this.”

  Dark shadows dropped out of the sky and formed a circle around them. Roi immediately pulled her to him. Missy spotted a large twelve inch cylinder-like object in the one of the men’s hands and her heart went to her throat. “Roi, cover your eyes!”

  “Huh?”

  The vampire lifted the weapon and aimed it at Roi. “No!” Missy shouted as she dropped down and swept Roi’s legs out from under him. He fell hard and fast to the ground. Falling on top of him, Missy cradled Roi’s head protectively in her bosoms. The tell-tale click of the ultra-violet pulse generator went off and Missy ducked her head down too. While it wouldn’t blind her, it would temporarily cause her to see only blurry shadows.

  “Missy?”

  She pressed her mouth to Roi’s ear and whispered so soft that only he could hear. “If they point that at you, look away. It’s made to blind almost all supernaturals with enhanced vision. It’s permanent for the majority of them. On the count of three, I straddle your waist and you kick the son-of-a-bitch. Deal?”

  “No, let’s just lay here. I like where my face is right now.” He nipped playfully at her breast.

  Missy’s eyes widened as pleasure moved throughout her body. “Forget it.”

  Roi seized hold of her waist and jerked her legs up, kicking out at the same time. “Up!”

  Missy rolled off him and sprung to her feet fast. Reaching out, she went to catch the ultra-violet pulse generator but Roi beat her to it. She knew a fraction of a second prior to him touching it that he was going to trigger it without knowing. Seizing hold of it, she pulled it away from his face and aimed it at herself. It discharged and a white-hot flash of light went off in her face. “Melissa!”

  Stumbling backwards, she tried to catch her bearings. All she caught was a handful of vampire as he launched her high into the air. The wind hit her face and Missy knew he was traveling at a high speed, putting distance between she and Roi. Cutting her only lifeline out from under her.

  Chapter Six

  Missy swung out, catching her attacker across the face. He loosened his grip on her enough that she was able to kick out, catching the back of his knee. He went down hard and fast, trying to pull her with him. Breaking free, she bent down, as if she was about to sit and waited for the right moment to jump. When she felt it, she jumped hard backwards. Tossing her feet up and over her head, she put her arms straight and held them strong as the rest of her body followed suit.

  The moment she’d completed the impromptu back handspring, she launched into another one. She’d always been agile. Her adoptive parents had enrolled her in endless years of gymnastics hoping it would filter some of the energy she had. It didn’t. Coming to her feet, she tried to see. Her vision was still blurry but clearing slowly. Something moved towards her and struck her hard in the side of the head. Pain exploded behind her eyes and she did her best to stay focused, to stay conscious. Passing out wasn’t an option.

  “Don’t kill her!” someone shouted.

  They want to take me alive.

  The thought wasn’t a comforting one as she tried to break free of the attack. Slowly, she could make out the shape of someone even bigger than Roi. Since Missy was only five foot three inches tall, that made the man seem like a giant. Kicking out, she found her foot caught in someone’s strong grasp. Unable to clearly make out who had what, she wasn’t sure if it was one attacker or more. The second multiple hands grabbed hold of her, she cried out, “Let go of me.”

  Deep laughs followed. Never a good sign.

  “Missy!” Roi’s voice sounded further away than she’d have liked.

  “Roi, I’m over here…” The man holding her hit her again, this time in the center of the chest. He hit her with his full strength. It would have killed a human. It knocked the air out her as pain radiated through her as the air left her lungs and she fell quickly to the ground, clutching her body, straining to breathe.

  Her attacker tipped her head back and jabbed something sharp into her neck. She couldn’t scream, couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything other than sit on her knees as he injected her with something. A burning sensation began in her neck, instantly taking over her body. Suddenly, her muscles began to spasm as thunderbolts of pain radiated through her.

  By the time the man had pulled the syringe away from her, the pain was so intense that it became numbing. Still shaken and disoriented, Missy could do nothing to stop the man as he yanked her off the ground.

  * * * *

  Roi spun around and delivered a kick to the solar plexus of some idiot who tried to zap him with a stun gun. A slight smile played across his face as he watched the man fly a few feet into the air. Spinning fast, Roi smashed the flashlight from hell through another man’s chest, smashing it and dusting the vamp in the process.

  Nothing like beating the shit out of someone to make the evening enjoyable.

  Hearing Missy scream, Roi jerked back to reality. “Missy!” When she didn’t answer, fear took hold of his gut. He looked next to him where she’d just been but found no sign of her. She screamed again.

  “Roi, I’m over…”

  Running in the direction that he’d heard her screaming from, Roi met up with two more men. One swung at his head, missing him by a long shot. Roi, however, managed to come into full contact with the man’s throat. The amount of pressure he’d used should have broken the assailant’s neck. Instead, it just stunned him. That meant they were shifters too. “Aww, look mom, the cousins came to play.”

  The wolf in Roi afforded him excellent night vision. As he threw his fist up and knocked the other attacker away from him, he noted that both men before him wore some sort of odd earplugs. Missy had been right. They did have a weapon that would affect hearing.

  He saw Missy then, in the distance, crumpled on the ground, holding her chest. Red-hot rage tore through him and the urge to shift was overpowering. His fingers began to lengthen and his jaw tingled, signifying the start of the process.

  Suddenly, Roi sensed the other I-Ops. They were closing in on their location. He fought to cage the wolf within. Missy didn’t need to see him change right now. As fine as she appeared to be with his shifting, it was still something he’d rather not do in front of her just yet.

  Lukian broke through the darkness first, lunging at a group of men that had come out of nowhere. Roi turned and struck out, catching one of the men’s arms--showing no mercy. Claws erected from his fingertips as a slight smile played across his lips. The severed limb fell to the ground and its previous owner howled out. Roi growled and made another swipe at him.

  He missed, but it didn’t matter. Wilson was suddenly there backing him up, firing a shot into the retreating one-armed bad guy. The man’s pace slowed, but he kept on running.

  “What the…?” Wilson murmured as he fired another shot dead into the man. They man continued running away.

  “Shifters,” Roi said, seriously laboring for breath.

  Wilson dropped his clip to the ground and snatched another one from his belt. “Rightie-o, let’s get it on. The rat’s packin’ silver now, baby. Who wants to play? Here lycan, lycan, lycan … here boy. Come to papa!”

  Roi rolled his eyes and used this lull in the fight to run to Missy. His heart slammed in his chest as he saw her lying on the ground shaking uncontrollably.

  Sliding to the ground next to her, he tried to hold her still without hurting her. Something was seriously
wrong but he couldn’t see any visible wounds. Saliva ran down from the corners of her mouth as her eyes rolled back into her head. Fear gripped him as he held her tight. “Missy baby, hang on, Green! Green!”

  It seemed like an eternity before Green dropped down next to him, but Roi knew it was only a matter of seconds. “She’s seizing.”

  “Really?” Roi asked sardonically. “Fix her now.”

  Green grabbed Missy’s head, checking her eyes. He sniffed the air and looked up at Roi with wide eyes. “Do you smell that?”

  “No, smell what?”

  “Shifter.”

  “That’s what attacked us,” Roi said, seriously annoyed by Green’s lack of focus. Missy needed an ambulance and fast, not Green’s analysis of the air.

  Green shook his head. “No, Roi, the smell of the shifter is coming from Missy.”

  That didn’t make any sense. He’d have picked up on it if she was a shifter. Her scent always drove him mad but he’d never picked up that she was a shifter. Drawing in a deep breath, he caught it too. Instantly, he recognized it as a feline breed--that must have been why Green smelled it first. The werepanther in him gave him the edge in that department. “But…?”

  Green moved Missy’s head to the side and they both saw what he was looking for—a red, raised area on her neck that was fast turning purple. “They’ve injected her with something.”

  Roi’s mind raced with endless accounts of Green rambling on and on about humans being injected with shifter DNA.

  Hundred percent fatality rate.

  Missy knew she was something but didn’t know what. What if she didn’t have enough supernatural blood in her veins? A fear like he’d never experienced before tore through him, and the wolf within fought to be free. It needed to run, to mutilate, to kill all responsible for this. “Why? Why would they inject her with that? If they wanted her dead. Gods,” a sob broke loose from his throat, “why not just … why that?”