“The little bird’s come back, I see,” John observed as Arnold and I entered the same lounge I’d met Royce in the night before. The vampire’s eyes narrowed as the mage following in my wake halted beside me. “I don’t recall Mr. Royce retaining the services of The Circle.”

“He didn’t,” Arnold replied, smiling down at the much shorter vampire. “H&W occasionally needs a little extra muscle. So here I am.”

I had to restrain laughter. Arnold, while tall, was hardly Mr. Universe. Then again, he was a mage. He could probably flatten John with a snap of his fingers.

John set aside his displeasure long enough to bow theatrically before me, keeping his gaze steady on mine. “Regardless, it is wonderful to see you again, my dear. I don’t suppose you’ll—what are you doing?”

Arnold had put his hand over my eyes. After the initial surprise, I started plucking at his fingers. “Uh, Arnold? Creepy much?”

“Don’t meet his eyes. This is exactly why you need me along.”

John was clearly offended, straightening and folding his arms. “I’m not so ill-mannered that I’d entice the lady against her will, spark.”

A few people at the bar and lazing on the couches scattered through the room turned to stare, wondering at the epithet. I yanked Arnold’s hand off my face by the wrist and turned a glare on John—soon shifting the look of mixed surprise and distaste to Arnold as he responded to the vampire in kind.

“That’s nice, leech. Why don’t you go slither off to your master and let him know we’re here?”

While Others traditionally don’t get along well with those outside their own species, it was rare for them to resort to such outright hostility in front of witnesses. Neither one seemed to care. John lifted his lip, showing his fangs in warning. Arnold tensed, the whispered words behind whatever spell he was casting lost in the throbbing bass of the music coming from the dance floor next door.

Before things could get any worse, I stepped between them, placing a hand against each man’s chest.

“That is it! Knock it off, you two!”

The men glared at each other until I laid into Arnold, to John’s intense satisfaction.

“You’re here to help me, not embarrass me in front of a client! Stop it!”

The smirk on John’s face quickly shifted to alarm as I turned on him, putting his palms up to ward me off.

“And you! For the love of God, can you please keep your nasty little remarks to yourself? I’m here to help your boss, in case you’ve forgotten. Arnold is on our side, so can it!”

Every eye in the room was on us. I’d backed John all the way up to the bar. He was extremely careful not to touch me. So careful, in fact, that he was practically bent over backward on the bar, his fingers tightly wrapped around the edge so he wouldn’t risk laying a hand on me.

His panic was understandable. Without a signed contract, if he did anything to me that could be construed as assault—particularly before so many witnesses in a crowded bar—his butt was toast. Despite that, I had no sympathy for the slime-ball. He was putting moves on me to either get me in the sack or drink my blood. Maybe both. That didn’t inspire warm and fuzzy feelings on my part. Not at all.

“’Ere, now,” rumbled a deep voice as a hand settled on my shoulder. “We’ll have none of that.”

Angus’s grip was uncomfortably strong, and I didn’t resist his urging to back off.

As I pulled away, John hissed a few hateful words. “Pity you’re not as amenable as your sister.”

Ice-cold shock froze me in place. This disgusting twit was the vampire Royce would have to keep away from Janine? Though I saw through his unthreatening demeanor and over-the-top charm, Janine was too naive to realize someone like him could be a danger to her. Not until it was too late. From his words, he was already familiar with her.

Damn him. If not for Angus’s grip tightening in warning, I might very well have attacked John myself. Instead, I had to make do with baring my teeth in a silent, frustrated snarl, and content myself with the foolish hope that Royce would keep to his promise. This blackmail was detestable, but the idea of leaving Janine to fend for herself against John was terrifying.

After I backed up, John moved from arched against the bar to halfway across the dance floor in a flash, his eyes gleaming crimson as he watched us. I ignored him as best I could. Angus drew away and gestured for John and me to follow him. Looking sheepish, though still bristling with hostility, Arnold stayed quietly by my side the entire way to the security office in the back.

The cramped office positively crackled with unseen energy as John and Arnold were forced into close proximity. Something about the power they were radiating made the runes on my arm itch like mad. I clenched my hands into fists at my sides to keep from scratching, and pressed close to Arnold.

Angus paid them no mind, so I did my best to do the same, leaning over to see what he was pointing at in the thick manila folder he had spread open on his desk.

“Was this what you wanted me to come here for?”

John answered me instead of the Scot, his voice once again smooth and charming. “We have a few things to give you. Since the AOA is involved, we thought we might assign a bodyguard. Show you the location of a couple of safe houses if needed.”

I was going to respond but Arnold cut me off. He was all confidence, his green eyes glinting with fae light as he folded his arms across his chest. The tingle on my arm got worse. “That’s not necessary. I’m on the job.”

John glowered at him but didn’t reply.

“Now then,” Angus said, bringing my attention to a few highlighted points on the papers, “your information was very helpful. We’ve put together a report on the Anti-Other Alliance for you. Most of this is from the Internet, but one of Mr. Royce’s contacts in the NYPD and a few of his colleagues from the South gave us some additional information. The founder and many of the key members of the AOA used to be White Hats. I’ve heard your mage friend”—Arnold stopped glaring at John long enough to pay some mind to what Angus was saying—“has some contacts with them, so maybe he can find out more about what they want.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I asked, surreptitiously rubbing my wrist to ease the prickling. “You guys are vampires….”

Angus’s tone was patient as he collected the papers up and handed me the manila folder. “Aye, but what is their plan, lass? Are they looking to attack Alec—or someone else? Blow up some property? Disrupt our business? We need more data to counter whatever they’re planning. That’s what you were hired for.”

I managed a sheepish “Oh!” as he handed me the folder.

“They’re a violent lot. We don’t expect ye to get yourself killed, so see if ye can get that PI they’re using, Finnegan, to contact me. Mayhap we can negotiate something.” He turned to Arnold, one bushy brow arching. “Or would ye be willing to check with your White Hat friends if they know anything?”

“Sure. I’ll call them later tonight.”

“Be careful. White Hats are bad, but the AOA is worse,” John warned.

“I know,” I said, suppressing a shudder at the memory of the cigarette being held so close to my eye.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to show you to one of our safe locations?”

The solicitous tone didn’t do a thing to conceal John’s eagerness for my response. How he thought I might be interested after his barbed comments about Janine was beyond me. Perhaps he was only eager to get his hands on me because Royce had put Janine off limits. Clearing my throat, I held up the file and gestured at Arnold with it. “Thanks, but we should get going. Start studying this thing. I’ll be okay.”

Arnold seemed just as relieved as the vampire was disappointed.

“Let me see you out.”

I accepted John’s offer with a nod. Before I could leave, Angus pressed a bit more into my hands—a list of phone numbers and an address, and a key.

“Take this with ye. If ye run into trouble, the numbers are sorted under the times we’re available. Any of these people can help. Ye can also hide out at the address written there if ye need to—no need to call ahead. Security’s been alerted that ye may drop by. Don’t make any copies of the key; return it to me after we get this mess under control.”

“Thanks,” I said, and surprised myself by meaning it. “I appreciate it. Really.”

He smiled at me, fangs peeking out behind the coppery tangles of his beard and blue eyes twinkling with something very much like mirth. “Anytime, lass. Stay out of trouble, now, and do call if ye need us.”

“I will.”

John gave the Highlander a disapproving look, tapping his foot in the doorway until I tucked everything under my arm and made to follow him. Arnold took his place by my side one more time.

We had a lot of work ahead of us.