"Sure," Jedrek replied with a fake Brooklyn accent. "We go way back. I can't get over the way he looks now."
"I know! I didn't even recognize him at first," Cora Lee confessed. "I can't believe he got older like that."
"And you say it happened in Texas?" Jedrek asked.
"That's what Ian told me."
"Sweetheart, could you get me another Bleer? This stuff is freakin' fantastic. Roman is a genius." "He sure is. You know him, too?"
"Who doesn't? The guy's famous," Jedrek commented casually. "But you know what? He looks a bit older, too."
"Yep, all of a sudden he turned gray at the temples."
"But he didn't go to Texas, did he?" Jedrek asked.
"Nope, he was here when it happened. Land sakes, I can't imagine why anyone would want to look older."
"They would if there was a really important, secret purpose behind it," Jedrek said.
Vanda gasped, and Ian shook his head to remind her to stay quiet. No doubt she had grasped the full danger of the situation. If the Malcontents acquired the means to stay awake during the day, they would slaughter Vamps who were helpless in their death-sleep.
The phone on Vanda's desk rang, and Ian quickly lifted his finger off the intercom button to break the connection. Vanda grimaced and answered the phone.
Ian dashed back up the stairs to the VIP harem room and peered through the screen. Cora Lee must have heard the ring, for she'd answered her phone. With a confused look, she hung up. Meanwhile, Jedrek was scanning the surroundings, his eyes narrowed. No doubt he suspected something.
Ian considered teleporting down to challenge him, but before he could weigh the pros and cons, Jedrek vanished.
"What's happening?" Vanda rushed into the room.
"He's gone."
"That damned phone," Vanda muttered. "It was the dancer I fired Thursday night. He heard Corky was planning to sue me, so he decided to have a go at me, too. The bastard."
"I'll get the name of Angus's solicitor," Ian offered. "He's the best in the Vamp world. And doona fash over Corky. I'll pay to settle with her. I canna have ye suffering on my account."
"But I'm the one who attacked her." Vanda dragged a hand through her spiky hair. "And now we have this mess with Jedrek Janow. He's not going to stop until he knows what caused you to age. And if he gets his hands on that drug--"
"I know. They'll kill us in our sleep."
Vanda pressed a hand to her brow. "This is all my fault. I made you too famous, and now you're in danger. Jedrek will hunt you down. He'll--he'll--"
"It will be all right."
"But I completely screwed up," she cried. "You're like one of my little brothers to me. And I lost all of them. I can't stand to lose you, too, not when it's all my fault."
"Shhh." He pulled her into an embrace and patted her on the back. "I doona blame you, Vanda. Yer heart was in the right place. But I would appreciate it if ye could tell Cora Lee and Lady Pamela to keep their bloody mouths shut."
"I will, I will." Vanda stepped back and sniffed. "And I'll keep trying to find you the perfect mate. I'll make a list of the girls who want to meet you, and I'll interview them myself to weed out the ones who just want to be famous."
Ian figured that was all of them, but he didn't want to belittle Vanda's offer. "That would be great. Thanks."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "I want you to be happy, Ian. And safe." When she opened her eyes, anger flashed in them. "So help me, if that Jedrek bastard hurts--"
"Vanda, promise me ye'll do nothing about Jedrek Janow. Leave him to me and Connor."
She heaved a sigh. "Okay, but please be careful. He'll want answers, and you're the one who has them."
"I know." Ian realized Jedrek could be hunting for him right now. And the first place he'd search would be Roman's townhouse. "I need to use your computer."
He dashed down the stairs to Vanda's office and accessed the tracking device in Toni's handbag. She was back at the townhouse. All alone.
Ian's stomach clenched. Toni, he thought, just before he teleported away.
Chapter Thirteen
A hot shower helped take the chill out of Toni's bones and relieve the ache in her bruised hip. She leaned over to wrap a towel around her wet hair, and as she straightened, she accidentally brushed her hip against the counter.
"Ow!" She eyed the bruise. It had swollen to a lovely shade of purple that coordinated well with the red scars on her torso and br**sts.
"Toni!"
She jumped at the sound of Ian's voice coming from her bedroom. Her hip knocked against the counter. "Ow! Dammit!" She grabbed on to the towel bar to keep from falling.
"Toni, are ye all right?" Ian pounded on the door. "Is someone hurting you? Should I teleport in?"
"No!" What was he doing out there? "I...I have the entire offensive line from the New York Giants in here. Oh yeah, I'm feeling good! Second down and eight to go."
There was a pause. "Ye're jesting, right?"
She snorted. "Brilliant, Sherlock."
"Come out now. We need to talk."
Not that again. "I don't have any clothes. Go away."
"I'll close my eyes."
Now it was her turn to pause. "I don't believe you."
"Brilliant, Sherlock."
Damn him. She wrapped a towel around herself. "Go away."
"No. I've come to rescue you."
"From what? Mildew?"
"I'll step into the hall so ye can get dressed. Please hurry."
She heard footsteps and a door click shut. She peeked out. The bedroom was empty.
She eased toward the dresser. "Why are you pestering me? I'm off duty now." She dropped her towel and quickly pulled on some panties.
"This canna wait," Ian spoke from the hallway. "We're in danger from a Malcontent assassin named Jedrek Janow. He's the new master of the Russian-American coven in Brooklyn, the bastards who attacked you before. Jedrek wants information about the drug I took in order to age, so he'll be searching for me."
Any irritation Toni had felt sifted away, only to be replaced by a twinge of fear. She reached behind her back to hook her bra. "How serious is this?"
"Verra serious. If he comes to the townhouse, he willna come alone. He'll bring other Malcontents with him, and everyone here, including you, will be attacked."
A chill prickled her skin with gooseflesh. "They know about this townhouse? I thought it was a secret." Damn, she had thought she was safe from them.
"Roman's home is a secret, but this place has always been known in the Vamp world. Every spring, Roman hosts a conference at Romatech, and coven masters come from around the world to attend. They always stay here, and Angus's company provides security. Are ye decent now?"
She could be attacked again? God, no. Memories of that night threatened to wash over her. No, not again.
A form appeared before her, and she gasped.
Ian's eyes widened. "Toni."
Her hands fluttered around her panties and bra. Damn! Her undies didn't cover up much. And her scars! She glanced at his face and saw his expression go from shock to horror.
"Go away!" She turned her back to him. Dammit, what was worse? Being caught almost naked or seeing a guy's horrified reaction to it?
"Toni, ye're covered with bite marks."
"I know. I was there when it happened." She rushed to the closet and yanked a pair of jeans off a hanger.
"And yer hip. It's bruised something terrible."
"Stop looking at me!" She pulled on the jeans. "I fell in a parking lot."
"At the Shady Oaks Psychiatric Hospital?"
She gasped, and the jeans slid down to her knees. "How--" She noticed his gaze drifting south, and she jerked the jeans back up. "How did you know?"
"I'm a verra good investigator."
Damn him. She zipped up her jeans. "You've been spying on me?"
He strode toward her. "Is that yer suitcase there?"
She jumped aside to keep some distance between them. "What are you doing?"
He opened the suitcase on her dresser and started filling it with her clothes. "Finish getting dressed now."
She didn't care for his authoritarian tone. Or that he'd been spying on her. She jerked a T-shirt off a hanger and pulled it on. "Fine. I'll get dressed. Then you won't have to look so horrified at the sight of my body."