I STIFFENED AT THE RED AND BLUE LIGHTS flashing behind me, because there was no way I could explain what was in the back of my truck. I pulled over, holding my breath as the sheriff came to my window.

“Hi. Something wrong?” My tone was all innocence while I prayed there was nothing unusual about my eyes. Control yourself. You know what happens when you get upset.

“Yeah, you’ve got a busted taillight. License and registration, please.”

Crap. That must have happened when I was loading up the truck bed. Speed had been of the essence then, not daintiness.

I handed him my real license, not the fake one. He shone his flashlight back and forth between the identification and my face.

“Catherine Crawfield. You’re Justina Crawfield’s girl, aren’t you? From the Crawfi eld Cherry Orchard?”

“Yes, sir.” Politely and blandly, as if I didn’t have a care in the world.

“Well, Catherine, it’s nearly four a.m. Why are you out this late?”

I could tell him the truth about my activities, except I didn’t want to sign on for hard time. Or an extended stay in a padded cell.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided I’d drive around.”

To my dismay, he ambled to the bed of the truck and shone his light in it.

“Whatcha got back there?”

Oh, nothing unusual. A dead body under some bags and an ax.

“Bags of cherries from my grandparents’ orchard.” If my heartbeat were any louder, it would deafen him.

“Really?” With his flashlight he poked at a plastic lump. “One of ’em is leaking.”

“Don’t worry.” My voice was almost a squeak. “They always leak. That’s why I carry them in this old truck. They’ve stained the bottom of it red.”

Relief crashed through me when he ceased his explorations and returned to my window.

“And you’re driving around this late because you couldn’t sleep?” There was a knowing curl to his mouth. His gaze took in my tight top and disheveled hair. “You think I’m going to believe that?”

The innuendo was blatant and I almost lost my cool. He thought I’d been out sleeping around. An unspoken accusation hung between us, nearly twenty- three years in the making. Just like your mother, aren’t you? It wasn’t easy being illegitimate in a town so small, people still held that against you. In today’s society, you wouldn’t think it mattered, but Licking Falls, Ohio, had its own set of standards. They were archaic at best.

With great effort I restrained my anger. My humanity tended to shed like a disposable skin when I got angry.

“Could we just keep this between us, Sheriff?” Back to the guileless blinking of my eyes. It had worked on the dead guy, anyway. “Promise I won’t do it again.”

He fingered his belt as he considered me. His large belly strained against the fabric of his shirt, but I refrained from comments about his girth or the fact that he smelled like beer. Finally he smiled, exposing a crooked front tooth.

“Go home, Catherine Crawfield, and get that taillight fixed.”

“Yes, sir!”

Giddy with my reprieve, I revved up the truck and drove off. That had been close. I’d have to be more careful next time.

People complained about having deadbeat fathers or skeletons in their family’s closets. For me, both were really true. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I hadn’t always known what I was. My mother, the only other person in on the secret, didn’t tell me until I was sixteen. I grew up with abilities other children didn’t have, but when I asked her about them, she’d get angry and tell me not to talk about it. I learned to keep things to myself and hide my differences. To everyone else, I was just weird. Friendless. Liked to wander around at strange hours and had odd pale skin. Even my grandparents didn’t know what was in me, but then again, neither did those I hunted.

There was a pattern to my weekends now. I went to any of the clubs within a three- hour drive to look for some action. Not the kind the good sheriff thought I was into, but another brand. I’d drink like a fish and wait to be picked up by that special someone. One I hoped I could end up planting in the backyard, if I didn’t get killed first. I’d been doing this for six years now. Maybe I had a death wish. Funny, really, since technically I was half dead.

Therefore my near miss with the law didn’t stop me from going out the following Friday. At least this way, I knew I was making one person happy. My mother. Well, she had a right to hold a grudge. I just wished it hadn’t spilled over to me.

The club’s loud music hit me like a splash, jerking my pulse to its beat. I made my way carefully through the crowds, seeking that unmistakable vibe. The place was packed, a typical Friday night. After I wandered around for an hour, I felt the first stirrings of disappointment. There appeared to be only people here. With a sigh, I sat at the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. The first man who tried to kill me had ordered it for me. It was now my drink of choice. Who said I wasn’t sentimental?

Men approached me periodically. Something about being a single young woman screamed “Screw me” to them. Politely and somewhat impolitely I turned them down, depending on how per sis tent they were. I wasn’t here to date. After my first boyfriend, Danny, I never wanted to date again. If the guy was alive, I wasn’t interested. No wonder I had no love life to speak of.

After three more drinks I decided to cruise the club again, since I was having no luck being bait. It was nearly midnight, and so far there had been nothing aside from alcohol, drugs, and dancing.

Booths were tucked in the far corner of the club. As I passed in front of them, I felt a twinge of charged air. Someone, or something, was near. I stopped and did a slow circle, attempting to ferret out the location.

Out of the light and obscured by shadows, I saw the top of a man’s head bent forward. His hair was nearly white under the intermittent lighting, but his skin was unlined. Hollows and contours became features as he looked up and spotted me staring at him. His brows were distinctly darker than his hair, which appeared to be light blond. Those eyes were dark as well, too deep for me to guess a color. His cheekbones could have been chiseled from marble, and that flawless diamonds- and- cream skin gleamed from under his shirt collar.

Bingo.

Pasting a false smile on my face, I sauntered over with the exaggerated walk of someone drunk and plunked my- self down on the opposite seat.

“Hello, handsome,” I said in my most alluring voice.

“Not now.”

His tone was clipped, with a distinct En glish accent. I blinked stupidly for a moment, thinking maybe I had drunk too much and misunderstood him.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m busy.” He sounded impatient and mildly annoyed.

Confusion raged in me. Could I have been wrong? Just to be certain, I reached out and ran a finger lightly over his hand. The power nearly jumped off his skin. Not human, all right.

“I was wondering, um . . .” Stumbling over my words, I searched for an enticing phase. Frankly, this had never happened before. Usually his kind were easy pickings. I didn’t know how to handle this as a true professional would.

“Want to fuck?”

The words burst out, and I was horrified at myself for saying them. I barely managed to avoid clapping a hand over my mouth, never having used that word before.

He glanced back with a curl of amusement on his lips, having turned away after his second refusal. Dark eyes raked me appraisingly.

“Bad timing, luv. Have to wait until later. Be a good bird and fly away, I’ll find you.”

With a flick of his hand, he dismissed me. Numbly I got up and walked away, shaking my head at the turn of events. Now how was I supposed to kill him?

In a daze I went to the ladies’ room to inspect my appearance. My hair looked okay, albeit its usual startling crimson shade, and I wore my lucky top, which had led the last two guys to their doom. Next I bared my teeth at my re- flection. Nothing was stuck in them. Lastly, I raised my arm and sniffed near the crease. No, I didn’t smell bad. What was it, then? A thought occurred to me. Could he be gay?

Reflectively I considered it. Anything was possible—I was proof of that. Perhaps I could watch him. Follow him whenever he tried to pick someone up, male or female. Decision made, I headed out with renewed determination.

He was gone. The table he’d been crouched over was empty, and there was no trace of him in the air. With grow- ing urgency I searched the surrounding bars, the dance floor, and the booths again. Nothing. I must have dawdled too long in the bathroom. Cursing myself, I stalked back to the bar and ordered a fresh drink. Although alcohol didn’t dull my senses, having a drink was something to do, and I was feeling very unproductive.

“Beautiful ladies should never drink alone,” a voice said next to me.

Turning to give a rebuff, I stopped short when I saw my admirer was as dead as Elvis. Blond hair about four shades darker than the other one’s, with turquoise- colored eyes. Hell’s bells, it was my lucky night.

“I hate to drink alone, in fact.”

He smiled, showing lovely squared teeth. All the better to bite you with, my dear.

“Are you here by yourself?”

“Do you want me to be?” Coyly, I fluttered my lashes at him. This one wasn’t going to get away, by God.

“I very much want you to be.” His voice was lower now, his smile deeper. God, but they had great intonation. Most of them could double as phone- sex operators.

“Well, then I was. Except now I’m with you.”

I let my head tilt to the side in a flirtatious manner that also bared my neck. His eyes followed the movement, and he licked his lips. Oh good, a hungry one.

“What’s your name, lovely lady?”

“Cat Raven.” An abbreviation of Catherine, and the hair color of the first man who tried to kill me. See? Sentimental.

His smile broadened. “Such an unusual name.”

His name was Kevin. He was twenty- eight and an archi- tect, or so he claimed. Kevin was recently engaged, but his fiancée had dumped him and now he just wanted to find a nice girl and settle down. Listening to this, I managed not to choke on my drink in amusement. What a load of crap. Next he’d be pulling out pictures of a house with a white picket fence. Of course, he couldn’t let me call a cab, and how inconsiderate that my fictitious friends left without me. How kind of him to drive me home, and oh, by the way, he had something to show me. Well, that made two of us.

Experience had taught me it was much easier to dispose of a car that hadn’t been the scene of a killing. Therefore, I managed to open the passenger door of his Volkswagen and run screaming out of it with feigned horror when he made his move. He’d picked a deserted area, most of them did, so I didn’t worry about a Good Samaritan hearing my cries.

He followed me with mea sured steps, delighted with my sloppy staggering. Pretending to trip, I whimpered for effect as he loomed over me. His face had transformed to reflect his true nature. A sinister smile revealed upper fangs where none had been before, and his previously blue eyes now glowed with a terrible green light.

I scrabbled around, concealing my hand slipping into my pocket. “Don’t hurt me!”

He knelt, grasping the back of my neck.

“It will only hurt for a moment.”

Just then, I struck. My hand whipped out in a prac- ticed movement and the weapon it held pierced his heart. I twisted repeatedly until his mouth went slack and the light faded from his eyes. With a last wrenching shove, I pushed him off and wiped my bloody hands on my pants.

“You were right.” I was out of breath from my exertions. “It only hurt for a moment.”

Much later when I arrived home, I was whistling. The night hadn’t been a total waste after all. One had gotten away, but one would be prowling the dark no more. My mother was asleep in the room we shared. I’d tell her about it in the morning. It was the first question she asked on the weekends. Did you get one of those things, Catherine? Well, yes, I did! All without me getting battered or pulled over. Who could ask for more?

I was in such a good mood, in fact, that I decided to try the same club the next night. After all, there was a danger- ous bloodsucker in the area and I had to stop him, right? So I went about my usual house hold chores with impatience. My mother and I lived with my grandparents. They owned a modest two- story home that had actually once been a barn. Turned out the isolated property, with its acres of land, was coming in handy. By nine o’clock, I was out the door.

It was crowded again, this being a Saturday night. The music was just as loud and the faces just as blank. My ini- tial sweep of the place turned up nothing, deflating my mood a little. I headed toward the bar and didn’t notice the crackle in the air before I heard his voice.

“I’m ready to fuck now.”

“What?”

I whirled around, prepared to indignantly scald the ears of the unknown creep, when I stopped. It was him. A blush came to my face when I remembered what I’d said last night. Apparently he’d remembered as well.

“Ah yes, well . . .” Exactly how did one respond to that? “Umm, drink first? Beer or . . . ?”

“Don’t bother.” He interrupted my hail of the bartender and traced a finger along my jaw. “Let’s go.”

“Now?” I looked around, thrown off guard.

“Yeah, now. Changed your mind, luv?”

There was a challenge in his eyes and a gleam I couldn’t decipher. Not wanting to risk losing him again, I grabbed my purse and gestured to the door.

“Lead the way.”

“No, no.” He grinned chillingly. “Ladies first.”

With several glances over my shoulder, I preceded him into the parking lot. Once outside, he looked expectantly at me.

“Well, get your ride and let’s be off.”

“My ride? I—I don’t have a ride. Where’s your car?” I fought to remain cool, but I was inwardly rattled. This was all off my normal routine and I didn’t like it.

“I drove a bike here. Fancy a ride on it?”

“A motorcycle?” No, that wouldn’t do. No trunk to carry his body in, and I wasn’t about to balance it on the handle- bars. Plus, I didn’t know how to ride one. “Umm, we’ll take my vehicle instead. It’s over there.”

As I walked to the truck, I reminded myself to stagger. I hoped he’d think I had been pounding the booze.

“Thought you didn’t have a ride,” he called after me.

I stopped short, turning back at him. Crap, I had said that.

“I forgot it was here, is all,” I lied breezily. “Think I drank too much. You want to drive?”

“No, thanks,” was his immediate response. For some reason, his strong En glish accent grated on me.

I tried again with a lopsided smile. He had to drive. My weapon was in my right pants leg, since I was always in the passenger seat before.

“Really, I think you should drive. I’m feeling woozy. I’d hate to wrap us around a tree.”

It didn’t work.

“If you just want to beg off until another night . . .”

“No!” There was desperation in my voice, which raised his eyebrow a notch. “I mean, you’re so good- looking and . . .” What the hell did one say? “I really, really want to get it on.”

He stifled a laugh, dark eyes glittering. A denim jacket was casually thrown over his collared shirt. Under the streetlights, his cheekbones looked even more pronounced. I had never seen such perfectly chiseled features before.

He looked me up and down, his tongue tracing the in- side of his bottom lip.

“Right, then, let’s be off. You’re driving.”

Without another word, he climbed into the passenger seat of the pickup.

Left with no other option, I got in the driver’s side and pulled away, heading for the highway. Minutes ticked by, but I didn’t know what to say. The silence was unnerving. He didn’t speak, but I felt his eyes as they moved over me. Finally I couldn’t stand it anymore and blurted the first question that came to mind.

“What’s your name?”

“Does it matter?”

I glanced to my right and met his eyes. They were so dark brown they could have been black. There was that cool note of challenge in them again, almost a silent dare. It was disconcerting, to say the least. All the other ones had been perfectly willing to chat.

“I just wanted to know. Mine’s Cat.” I exited the freeway and turned onto a nearby gravel road leading to the lake.

“Cat, hmmm? From where I sit you look more like a Kitten.”

My head jerked around and I shot him an annoyed look. Oh, I was going to enjoy this, all right.

“It’s Cat,” I repeated firmly. “Cat Raven.”

“What ever you say, Kitten Tweedy.”

Abruptly I slammed on the brakes. “You got a problem, mister?”

Dark eyebrows rose. “No problem, pet. Have we stopped here for good? Is this where you want to shag?”

There went that pesky flush again at his bluntness.

“Um, no. A little farther up. It’s prettier there.” I steered us deeper into the woods.

He gave a low chuckle. “I just bet it is, luv.”

When the truck stopped at my favorite rendezvous spot, I glanced over at him. He sat exactly as he had been, im- mobile. There was no way I could go for the surprise in my pants yet. Clearing my throat, I gestured toward the trees.

“Don’t you want to go outside and . . . shag?” It was a strange word, but much better than fuck.

A quick grin lit his face before he responded. “Oh no. Right here. Love to do it in a truck.”

“Well . . .” Damn, what now? This wouldn’t work. “There’s not much room.” Triumphantly I began to open my door.

He didn’t budge. “Plenty of room, Kitten. I’ll stay here.”

“Don’t call me Kitten.” My voice was sharper than ro- mance dictated, but I was seriously aggravated. The sooner he was truly dead, the better.

He ignored me. “Take off your clothes. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Excuse me?” This was too much.

“You weren’t going to shag me with all your clothes on, were you, Kitten?” he taunted. “Guess all you’ll need off is your knickers, then. Come on. Don’t take all bloody night.”

Oh, I was going to make him sorry. I hoped this hurt like hell. With a superior smile, I looked back at him.

“You first.”

He grinned again with a flash of normal teeth. “Shy bird, are you? Didn’t peg you for the type, what with walking up to me and practically begging for it and all. How about this? We’ll do it at the same time.”

Bastard. It was the filthiest word I could think of, and I chanted it in my mind as I warily stared at him while un- buttoning my jeans. He nonchalantly loosened his belt, unbuckled his pants, and pulled out his shirt. The action revealed a taut pale belly that was hairless until it met his groin.

This was way further than I’d ever let things progress before. I was so embarrassed, my fingers shook as I peeled off my jeans while reaching inside them.

“Look here, luv, see what I have for you.”

I glanced down and saw his hand close around himself before quickly looking away. The stake was almost in my hand, all I needed was another second . . .

It was my modesty that did me in. When I turned to avoid seeing his groin, I missed his hand clenching. His fist moved unbelievably fast to connect with my head. There was a flash of light followed by shooting pain, and then silence.